DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, Monday, announced features and specifications for DJI Goggles, a first-person view system that opens up the sky giving drone pilots a seamless bird’s eye view of the world in full HD.

DJI Goggles combines a pair of large ultra-high-quality screens, long-range and low-latency wireless connectivity, and direct control of photo and video capture. Operators using a Mavic Pro or Phantom 4 series drone can also access many intelligent flight features using a touchpad on the side of the visor.

DJI’s Senior Product Manager, Paul Pan said,

“DJI pilots deserve a first-person viewing experience with the same quality, power, and performance they have come to expect from our aerial platforms. We fully expect that they will be thrilled with the fun and immersive experience of flying with our goggles,”

“We have refined every element of DJI Goggles to the same standards as our aerial platforms, and we have optimized their connectivity to provide the most amazing drone experience yet.”

High-Quality Optics, Low Latency Transmission DJI Goggles use a beam splitter to display an image in front of each eye, as well as polarization to prevent any image overlap. This creates full HD 1920×1080 resolution per screen, providing more than twice the amount of pixels of a typical 2K display. Wearing the DJI Goggles is like looking at a 216” home cinema screen placed about three meters away. Through DJI’s OcuSync wireless transmission system, up to two pairs of DJI Goggles can be connected to a single Mavic Pro aircraft. DJI Goggles can receive video data directly from the drone bypassing the controller to minimize lag. When flying with the Mavic Pro, DJI Goggles offers both 720p at 60 fps and close range 1080p at 30 fps viewing with latency as low as 110ms.

Fully Immersive Experience, Total Control A touchpad integrated into DJI Goggles makes navigating the internal menu system simple, providing easy access to key intelligent flight features such as ActiveTrack, TapFly, Terrain Follow, Cinematic Mode and Tripod Mode. In Fixed Wing Mode, DJI Goggles bring with them a whole new way to fly the Mavic Pro. In this mode, the aircraft flies forward with enough rotational movement to simulate realistic flight. An AR trajectory prediction feature in Fixed Wing Mode makes using this mode much safer in complex environments.

DJI have launched Goggles, GearVR-style headset that allows the footage from Mavic Pro or Phantom 4 drones to be beamed directly to the headset, giving a first person view from their drone. The Goggles are capable of tracking head movements to control both aircraft yaw and camera tilt. Turning your head is like moving the control sticks – turn left, or right to yaw left or right, and straighten your head to stop the turn. Another option is to have a friend play cameraman, using the DJI Goggles to control the gimbal exclusively, while the aircraft operator maintains control of the aircraft with the master controller. Combined with Fixed Wing Mode, you can use your head to control the Mavic Pro for an immersive flight experience.

Operators should always follow local regulations for FPV flight, and it is recommended to use a spotter to help monitor the surrounding airspace. Translation, Australian CASA rules require drone operators to keep drones within visual sight, which puts full POV displays off-limits.

DJI say they’ve focused on creating an ergonomic design, which is important when it comes to placing anything on your head for any decent period of time. With comfort in mind, they use a stable headband design balances and spreads the weight DJI Goggles around the head, minimizing pressure on the face and maximizing comfort. The DJI Goggles allow the operator to flick between third person view and FPV in a matter of seconds.

Something they’ve considered is those users who may wear prescription glasses and the Goggles fit right over the top. If you ever need to see the outside world, just flip up the visor up to see the aircraft and the world around you.

Connecting Your Devices A range of interfaces are built into DJI Goggles, allowing them to work with different devices. DJI Goggles can sync with the Mavic Pro via DJI’s OcuSync transmission system, while the Phantom 4, Phantom 4 Advanced, Phantom 4 Pro, and Inspire 2 drones can connect via the controller’s USB port. An onboard Micro SD Card allows operators to download files from the aircraft to the goggles or review video files on the spot. Additionally, the HDMI input allows DJI Goggles to connect to a video device for watching films and even playing video games.

DJI Goggles’ first-person viewing experience works with DJI aerial platforms including the Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 series, and Inspire series (intelligent flight features using the touchpad vary with each model of aircraft). On a full charge, DJI Goggles are fully operational for a maximum of six hours.

The Australia retail price of the DJI Goggles is A$476.90, not exactly cheap, but they do offer an extension to an investment most drone owners have long forgotten. The Goggles start shipping after May 20, 2017.

Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis.

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